A Few Great Reasons to become a Teacher

Teaching is one of those jobs that asks for a lot but gives back at least as much. Yes it consists of stress-filled days with sometimes ungrateful pupils determined it seems to rattle you out of your socks. And yes there are the long hours, heavy workloads and constant need to press yourself to be better and more effective for all students. But, the joy of teaching and the benefits it brings are nearly incomparable. Educators like Peter Benedict St. Andrews School former headmaster and someone with a long teaching career, believe that cultivating creative thinkers using a well-balanced teaching approach can produce compassionate global citizens. And in this age of large global challenges, we need teachers to fill the role of creating better citizens.

Many tireless individuals have dedicated their lives to teaching and feel like they have found their calling. If you ask them to trade their jobs for one making five times the salary, most would laugh at you and proclaim that money is only a small part of the reward they get from their jobs and the other things are much more important. Here is a list of some of those amazing benefits.

Their Students

When you teach, your biggest joy will undoubtedly be your students. Ask a teacher to tell you about his or her students and they will probably tell you success stories about how they reached what was thought to be an unreachable kid or how one of their kids became the surprise of the school because of exceeded expectations.

These situations remind a teacher of why their job is so special and why their role is so important. There will undoubtedly also be stories of students who underachieved and who were challenges from the day they entered the classroom, but they get outweighed by the success stories of the ones that left the class much better and smarter people than when they entered.

Teachers are given the chance to impact and influence not just their learning but how they learn. They help them to gain critical thinking and other vital skills that prepare them for life. In the end, the relationship between student and teach is special and one that creates the type of bond that can last a lifetime.

Builds Self-Confidence and Self-Worth

Teachers sit at the head of the classroom and run the show. They set the mood in the room and get to determine the laws and environment for learning. Because of this power, teachers typically have lots of self-confidence. This is needed because part of creating a great learning environment for students is their connecting with the teacher’s energy. If you ask a student who was their favorite teacher they will tell you someone with lots of energy and personality. So these qualities make an impression on students and most teachers have it. A teacher’s self-worth also comes from knowing that they are in a profession that is honorable and well-respected. Everyone reveres teachers and holds them in high esteem. This makes teachers proud and fills them with a confidence they take into the classroom.

Shape the Minds of the Next Generation

The greatest joy teachers get out of their jobs is the chance to shape the minds of the next generation and point them toward a bright future. The young mind is fertile and open to be tugged, pulled and molded. Teachers are the leaders in doing this exact thing. They get the chances to spend long periods of time with students and learn how to get into their heads teaching them to stretch their minds to new perimeters. If you ask the most famous and influential people who influenced them the most in their thinking, it will undoubtedly include at least one teacher who helped shape their thinking.